File-cabinet.



F.' G. LOGKWOOD.

FILE GABINBT.

APPLICATION FILED MAY'IB, 1910.'

Ptented Mar. 28, 1911.

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FILE CABINET.

APPLIoA'rIoN FILED my 1a 1 91' Patented Mar. 28, 1911. z SHEETS 1mm' 2.

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FRANK Gr. LOCKWOOD, 0F LONE TREE, IOWA.

FILE-CABINET.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 28, 1911.

Application led May 13, 1910. Serial No. 561,090.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK G. LooKwooD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lone Tree, in the county of Johnson and State of Iowa, have invented new and useful Improvements in F ile-Cabinets, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention provides means for the safe keeping of account slips or like commercial papers so that any particular paper may be quickly found when it is required to ascertain the standing of any person having a running account or for obtaining desired information, it being understood that the invention provides a cabinet for ling memoranda of any nature, so that the same may be quickly obtained when required for use or reference.

The invention consists of the novel features, details of construction and combination of parts, which hereinafter will be more particularly set forth, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings, forming a part of the application, Figure 1 is a front view of a file cabinet embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of the cabinet, showing the parts op a larger scale. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 having the tray swung outward. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the trays. Fig. 5 is a top plan view of a tray constructed to swing in an opposite direction to the trays illustrated in the previous views.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description, and indicated in all the views of the drawings, by the same reference characters.

The case may be of any design and size according to the particular use for which the cabinet is intended and is closed upon three sides and at the top and bottom, the fourth side corresponding to the front being open to admit of placing the trays in position or swinging the same outward or inward. The case comprises sides l and a back 2. A series of horizontal shelves 3 are provided in the case and are supported at their ends in the sides 1. The shelves 3 preferably consist of sheet metal plates and their ends are let .into kerfs or saw cuts provided in the inner faces of the sides 1. By having the shelves formed of sheet metal plates space is economized and the cabinet is rendered less susceptible to destruction by fire. The shelves form supports and covers for a series of trays, which are arranged to occupy the spaces formed between the shelves. The shelves 8 are widened near one end, as indicated at 4, so as to protect the spring catches by means of which the trays are retained in place. A strip 5 is provided at the back of the case near one end to limit the inward movement of the trays at their free ends.

The trays are of like formation and may be constructed in rights or lefts according to the direction in which they are to swing. The trays whether constructed to swing to the right or to the left are of similar formation, as indicated most clearly in Figs. 4 and 5. Each tray comprises a bottom 6, a back 7, sides 8 and 9 and a front 10. The parts 7, 8, 9 and 10 are of uniform height and represent the depth of the tray which corresponds approximately to the distance between adjacent shelves 3, thereby enabling the trays to fit snugly between the shelves without binding. A cover 11 eX- tends over the rear portion of the tray and serves to conne the account slips or other papers placed in the tray. The tray is preferably formed of sheet metal for strength, durability and to economize in space as well as to render the cabinet lireproof. The front portion of the tray is cut away to admit of the account slips or other papers being' easily grasped when it is required to remove the same from the tray for reference or other purpose.

The several trays are provided with indicat-ing matter to enable any particular slip or paper being quickly found. For this purpose each tray is provided with a holder to receive a slip bearing indicating matter such as commonly employed for indexing accounts or files. As shown the tray has a portion of the side cut away near one end, as indicated at 12, and a lip 13 projects outward from the side 8 in line with the bottom 6 so as to support the indicating slip. A strip 14 extends across the opening 12 and beyond the ends thereof and has its terminal portions bent and att-ached to the side 8 beyond the opening 12, leaving spaces 15 which receive the end portions of the indicating slip. The strip 14 is of thin metal and is secured at its lower edge to the bottom- 6 and .at its ends to the side 8 in any convenient and substantial way.

ings, the advantages A iinger piece 16 projects from one corner of the` tray and may be provided in any manner and is adapted to be engaged by a finger of the hand or by a pencil or other instrument when it is required to swing the tray outward to enable the contents thereof to be inspected. A spring catch 17 is provided near the opposite end of the tray and is adapted to engage a rod 18 and serves to retain the tray in place. The rod 18 extends vertically through the cabinet and is supported in the top and the bottom thereof and in the widened portions L1 of the shelves. The trays are adapted to swing about the rod 18 as an axis, the spring catches 17 serving as retaining means to hold the trays in proper position, yet when required the spring catches provide convenient means for detaching any one of the. trays from the rod when from any cause i is desirable to remove the tray from the cabinet. The outer ends of the catches flare, thereby admitting of the rod passing readily beneath catches when placing the trays in position and the inner ends of the catches are of such formation as to provide stop shoulders to limit the movement of the trays when properly engaged with the rod 18.

The distance between the inner faces of the sides 1 of the case is greater than the length of the trays to admit of freely swinging the trays about the rod 18. Vhen the trays are swung inward the ends near the rod 18 touch the inner face of the side 1 near the rod 18, thereby economizing space. rlhe sides of the trays provided with the labels or indicating matter come about flush with the front edges of the shelves and the front of the case. so that the indicating matter may be seen to best advantage. V'Vhen the trays are swung inward they are supported upon the respective shelves and their upper sides are closed by the shelves next above, the parts being of such relative proportions that the trays iit snugly between the shelves so as to attain the results stated.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawof the construction and of the method of operation will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains, and while I have described the principle of operation of the invention, together with the device which I now consider to be the embodiment thereof,y

I desire to have it understood that the device shown is merely illustrative, and that such changes may be made when desired as are within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new, is

1. A ile cabinet comprising a case, a rod extending vertically through the case, a series of trays pivotally mounted within the case to swing horizontally, and spring catches upon the trays to make detachable connection with the said rod and acting jointly therewith to pivotally connect the trays with the case.

2. A ile cabinet comprising a case, a series of shelves supported within t-he case,

a rod supported at its ends in parts of the case and passing through the shelves, trays movable within the spaces formed between said shelves, and means upon said trays to detachably engage said rod and acting jointly therewith to pivotally connect the trays with the case.

3. A file cabinet comprising a case, shelves arranged within the case and having widened portions near one end, traysv movable within the spaces formed between the shelves, a rod extending through the widened portions of the shelves, and spring catches provided upon end portions of the trays and adapted to detachably engage the said rod to form pivotal connecting means between the trays and rod, said spring catches being lprotected by the widened portions of the shelves.

4. A tray for a tile cabinet having an opening at one side and having a lip extending across the opening about in the plane of the bottom to form a support for an index bearing slip, and a retaining strip extending across the opening and beyond the ends thereof and attached at its extremities to the inner face of the side having a portion cutaway to form the aforesaid opening.

5. In combination a case, a series of shelves supported within the case, a rod extending across the spaces formed between the shelves, trays arranged in the spaces formed between the shelves and provided at one corner with projecting portions forming linger pieces, and spring catches provided upon the opposite end portions of the trays to engage the said rod and pivotally connect the trays thereto.

In testimony whereof I atlix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK G. LOCKIVOOD. `Witnesses IV. W. MILLER, RUTH LUTZ.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

